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# Note-taking Advice From a Pro
- URL: https://chrisis.now/note-taking-tim-cain-work-journal/
- Published: 2024-10-29T10:08:17.000Z
- Updated: 2025-05-04T05:30:38.000Z
- Author: Chris Sobolewski

The thing about note-taking, or any other *productivity* advice, is that it often comes from self-proclaimed “productivity experts”. People who rarely know any other work than writing or making YouTube videos about productivity.

Andy Matuschak [puts it well](https://notes.andymatuschak.org/z51q8prEJzs5Jqa5WPThYoV?ref=chrisis.now):

> Most people who write about note-taking don’t seem particularly accomplished in their own fields, whatever those may be. In fact, most such writers aren’t applying their notes to some exogenous creative problem: their primary creative work is writing about productivity. These writers offer advice on note-taking to help scientists and executives with the challenges of their work, but the advice was developed in a context disconnected from those external realities.

Following that kind of guidance may make your notes *feel* more organized, but whether it makes you more productive and better at your job — that’s a different question entirely. (And the answer is often “no.”)

So here’s something different. Tim Cain, game director of the original *Fallout* (and other legendary games), sharing his note-taking process — drawing from *decades* of experience of taking notes in meetings, taking design notes, keeping an idea journal, work journal – in "real work" context! It’s worth your time:

To me, this was incredibly helpful. I've started writing again my *work journal* with Tim’s advice in mind. It’s been only a few days, but I can already see that it improves my work as an Associate Director at my day job.

I’m so glad I discovered Tim’s channel (YouTube suggested it after watching the *Fallout* tv show, *not creepy at all*). It’s great if you’re interested in game design, gaming industry, working in a team, or leading a team (or you just like *Fallout* and want to hear some anecdotes). Tim openly shares his expertise in all that. I highly recommend it!